MacFarlane may be showing some more storytelling skill than usual, but he could still stand to learn a thing or two more - as with Ted, the movie feels like it has four acts, with an additional showdown with a villain tacked on after the hero's major arc has been effectively completed. Neeson's evil Clinch appears briefly at the beginning of the film and is mostly irrelevant until the end; throughout the bulk of the film, Neil Patrick Harris' mustache-o-phile Foy, who has no connection whatsoever to Clinch, is the primary antagonist. There's also some really awkward action directing: a horse chase sequence involving a train tries in vain to use editing tricks that don't disguise its terrible sense of screen geography.

So let's say you're a long-time MacFarlane fan and you've read this far. I assume you're wondering if your idol has sold out completely. Well, fear not: this film probably holds the world record for number of giant sheep penises shown onscreen, there's an extended laxative joke, and yes, there are bits that comment on racism, though not as many as you'd expect, and at least this time most of it is directly rebuked. Also, every other word is "fuck."

A Million Ways to Die in the West isn't going to change film history or even become any kind of classic, but it is a solid R-rated laugher, and it goes a long way towards making the case that Seth MacFarlane is in fact one of us. Yes, he overdoes it with lame references sometimes...okay, a lot...but for Bison it was Tuesday. Whose responsible this?

I really do like Seth MacFarlane, I just wish he wouldn't make it so hard to like him. He makes a lot of stuff with lazy or crass humor, but there are so many times where you can see a really smart and funny idea poking through the cracks, and that's what I watch his stuff for. When he sings or gets to write something passionate is when it really comes through, not the toilet humor.

I can't, and won't, defend his stupid shit; it's terrible, but I really do think he has the potential to make something pretty inspired and great if only he'd put aside that defense mechanism and really own his nerddom.

Maybe he should try writing a musical; he seems to have a lot of talent there and enjoys to sing. If the South Park guys can hammer out a hilarious show, maybe he can manage one as well.

When I read MacFarlane's novelization of this, I couldn't help but think of this as something Woody Allen might have made in the 70's. Weird that even after reading the book, a lot of the stuff mentioned in this review is totally new to me, like the train sequence. I just hope the dream sequence is better on film than it was on paper, where it went on and on for 10 pages.

"While I'm a bit sick of Neil Patrick Harris being cast as misogynist
womanizers purely because he's really gay and that's the joke"

But Neil Patrick Harris plays a misogynist womanizer so well. Before How I Met Your Mother, I wouldn't have picked him for such a role. But then he played Barney Stinson. Even knowing he's gay, he was believable.

For a comedy, he has another benefit. He's "safe". You can like Neil Patrick Harris in such a role. That's not even entirely because he is gay. He is just likeable, over the top in just the right ways to not be crude, insulting, or dangerous.

Now, I'm not saying that it might not have become tiresome (and How I Met Your Mother was on the air for a rather long time) just from duration...

Seth MacFarlane is a smart and funny guy who has one glaring weakness, he is super lazy.

Pre-cancellation Family Guy was this great unique series that had its own distinct comedy style. Just look at the pilot: Peter gets fired, commits welfare fraud, throws money out of a blimp during the Super Bowl, and gets away from it because his baby has a mind control device. That is insane but its insanity worked,no other show at that time could do what Family Guy did. The problem comes in later when instead of evolving that style over time Seth decided to just crank up the insanity and edginess to the extreme. And in doing so he kinda ruined the show.

@bigwoodencastle This is is essentially where I stand with him too. I think a lot of his fans feel the same way too, like some collective stern but loving parent; not mad, just disappointed in him when he plays below his potential.

I was thinking the same thing. That NPH is gay does not enter my mind when I watch him on HIMYM. He chews scenery and makes us believe Barney is both a despicable womanizer And a really fun,cool guy to hang out with.

@troi So true. Early Family Guy may not have had a polished voice, but it was a distinct one and as soon as his security at Fox was established, he got lazy. Additionally, for whatever reason he thinks openly dismissing his laziness is the same as addressing it.